A HALL OF Famer has called on higher authorities to step in and try to save the NHL season. Former New York Islanders defenceman Denis Potvin suggested to the Sun yesterday that Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin and U.S. President George W. Bush should step in to try to solve the dispute between the NHL and its players' association.

Potvin, an Ottawa native and former 67's star working as a colour commentator on Florida Panthers broadcasts, said in a telephone interview somebody has to step in and get NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and union head Bob Goodenow back to the table.

"Maybe people like Paul Martin in Canada and George Bush in the United States could make a phone call to try to get Bettman and Goodenow back to the table," said Potvin, who has spent the last two weeks in Canada.

"I believe it happened in baseball in 1994 when Bill Clinton stepped in because baseball was (the American) national pasttime. I'm sure Paul Martin is feeling the same way about hockey in Canada."

Most the teams are in the US so Martin hands are tied. Most the US doesn't care about hockey so Bush wouldn't do anything. Many small and large business owners around the stadium and in general are effected but in the US no more so then airlines going bankrupt or compnaies downsizing.

Face it, these two groups will have to sort it out and their own. They don't trust each other and accounting methods can vary greatly. Here is an example- Coca-Cola could keep their trademark on the books at whatever the trademark registry cost would be. Lets say $50, which using this value is an acceptable accounting practice. When the trademark is known the world wide and is worth millions if not billons in market value. Is someone sneaky here? no.

Either the league breaks the union or the union and teams agree on acceptable recognized revenues to have a tax or cap. Or the league could cave in and accept some rollback on salaries and "try" to be more fiscally responsable in the future. Something will give one way or the other.

But Martin can still put pressure on the NHL to get a deal done. He can eliminate the tax breaks corporations get when they rent out luxury suites. Why should the taxpayers subsidize the NHL when they don't even want to have a season?

The elimination of that tax break would force NHL teams in Canada to lower the price of their suites and cost them plenty of money.

Do not you think the Canadian teams are going to be pushing for Bettman to hurry up and make a deal for fear of losing the nice little tax rule that they take advantage of?

I think Bush SHOULD care. U.S. jobs are being lost because of this lockout, small businesses like bars and restaurants are affected. If he stepped in it would show us hockey loving Bush haters that he cares about something other than driving up the national debt. No, it would not make me love the guy but I might hate him just a little less.

Id think Bush, former baseball team owner, would have some unique insider thoughts on the issue. Maybe he could slide the hockey owners some great tax breaks if they return to the table.

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The George W. Bush who owned a minor share of the Rangers, helped them build the new stadium and then sold them for a monster profit? Yeah, he'll help the NHL out.

As for the guy who thinks Bush will help out because of small businesses, well Most teams are in blue states and Bush hasn't done much for them in 4 years, Bush backs corporations and large businesses more then small businesses and frankly if it not a major political issue (like a baseball strike or football strike would be) why would he care. Its not like an ESPN lead in every night like the baseball strike was.

As for Canada, threaten with your tax status and lose a few more teams to the US if the lockout ends is why thats not don't to happen.

Paul Martin I can see, but I highly doubt George Bush cares about hockey, or a lack there of.

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Bush is the former owner of the Texas Rangers, so he already has past involvement in professional sports and can relate to the owners in the NHL. Also, the Stanley Cup winners over the past 4 years that Bush has been in office have all been invited to the White House to meet the president. If he cares enough to invite an entire team to the White House, he should care enough to make one 5 minute phone call to Gary and Bob.

Bush is the former owner of the Texas Rangers, so he already has past involvement in professional sports and can relate to the owners in the NHL. Also, the Stanley Cup winners over the past 4 years that Bush has been in office have all been invited to the White House to meet the president. If he cares enough to invite an entire team to the White House, he should care enough to make one 5 minute phone call to Gary and Bob.

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They invite every cup winner to the white house. Clinton did it too. remeber him pronouncing Yzerman phoneticaly?

A ton of other champions get cycled through as well, I doubt he gives a **** about hockey.

As for the guy who thinks Bush will help out because of small businesses, well Most teams are in blue states and Bush hasn't done much for them in 4 years, Bush backs corporations and large businesses more then small businesses and frankly if it not a major political issue (like a baseball strike or football strike would be) why would he care. Its not like an ESPN lead in every night like the baseball strike was.

Don

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That is my point. He has done nothing to make us "blue" types support him or even like him. You'll notice I said "SHOULD" care not that he will care.

As for Canada, threaten with your tax status and lose a few more teams to the US if the lockout ends is why thats not don't to happen.

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Why would Paul Martin care about this? Does anyone think Toronto, Montreal, or Vancouver are going anywhere regardless of the tax situation wrt corporate suites? All it would do is make those three franchises a lot more eager to get back to the matter of making money.

Are there even any markets in the US that compare to the Canadian ones who are among the top of profitability in the NHL?

If team(s) would be moving it would be Calgary and/or Edmonton and why would Paul Martin care if they relocated (which they probably wouldn't)?

Why would Paul Martin care about this? Does anyone think Toronto, Montreal, or Vancouver are going anywhere regardless of the tax situation wrt corporate suites? All it would do is make those three franchises a lot more eager to get back to the matter of making money.

Are there even any markets in the US that compare to the Canadian ones who are among the top of profitability in the NHL?

If team(s) would be moving it would be Calgary and/or Edmonton and why would Paul Martin care if they relocated (which they probably wouldn't)?

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Are there even any markets in the US that compare to the Canadian ones who are among the top of profitability in the NHL?

So teams move to the US from Canada to not be profitable is your thinking? The Canadian PM wouldn't care if Calgary, Edmonton and Ottawa left? Maybe, its just me but your post is insane. Maybe, Martin would like to be reelected and would pretend to care that losing the national sport's teams would be bad. Also, Maybe, just maybe the teams left Canada because they would generate more money in the US.

P.S. I am sure people in Quebec, Winnipeg didn't think they would lose their teams either to US cites, much less Phoenix, Arizona.

So teams move to the US from Canada to not be profitable is your
thinking?

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What are you babbling about? Are you talking about the past or the present?

The Canadian PM wouldn't care if Calgary, Edmonton and Ottawa left?

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He'd be better off if he could take credit for the NHL getting back to action even if Calgary and/or Edmonton left.

Maybe, its just me but your post is insane.

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It's you.

Maybe, Martin would like to be reelected and would pretend to care that losing the national sport's teams would be bad.

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Do you really think it would hurt him politically if Edmonton and Calgary both left for the US, however unlikely that is.

Also, Maybe, just maybe the teams left Canada because they would generate more money in the US.

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Winnipeg and Quebec did. But they weren't nearly as viable as the current Canadian NHL markets are. Your argument is about as logical as saying that the Bruins could move to a southern state because the Whalers left for a southern state.

P.S. I am sure people in Quebec, Winnipeg didn't think they would lose their teams either to US cites, much less Phoenix, Arizona.

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Sure they did. They were told either pony up for a new rink or we'll sell.

Bush is the former owner of the Texas Rangers, so he already has past involvement in professional sports and can relate to the owners in the NHL. Also, the Stanley Cup winners over the past 4 years that Bush has been in office have all been invited to the White House to meet the president. If he cares enough to invite an entire team to the White House, he should care enough to make one 5 minute phone call to Gary and Bob.

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You think Bush invites them personally? You think the president of the US is really excited about meeting some Russian hockey players who can't speak english? Gimme a break that has nothing to do with the president. It's all for show and simply done as tradition, the president is simply there because it wouldn't make sense if he wasn't.

I don't think politicians have anything to do with this lockout. It may affect the economy somewhat in certain cities, but not enough for the president of the united states to start getting into this. I think there's more important things he needs to be doing.